Folding hood for motor vehicles and the like



Nov 13, 1923. Wam- "6.1-5. WENHAM FOLDING HOOD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed July 25 1921 s Sheets-Shem 1 mm .1, TV

H llilwrllll N@ N@ NQ x Nov. 13 1923.

7 11,473,895 ca. H. WENHAM FOLDING HOdD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed July 25. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mms m (2. ya,

mm A

IIIZIIII 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 13 1923.

G H WENIHJAM FOLDING HOOD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1921 FIG Ii.

-zzzza a U/ll/fd w.

'IIIII UZZZZA 'IIIII Wm 13,1923. mmw i G. IPL WENHAM FOLDING HOOD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE] Filed July 25. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 24.

Nov. 13 1923. ,473,895

G. H. WENHAM FOLDING HOOD FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed July 25 192 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 N n f 5; ya 7 g N $1 an Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

TEE, 137i" iS tailli ht uni GEORGE HAROLD .WEN HAM, OF 'BBOMLEY, ENGLAND.

'FOLDINGHOODFOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE.

boats. The invention .is nartioularl a plicable to the"foldinghoods orcoverings of open. touringcars, these hoods enabling such cars when-desired, to be used as closed-in or coupe cars, in the well-known manner.

The object of these-improvements is to provide a frame orlframe unit for,the fold ing hoods or fixed heads or coverings of vehicles as aforesaid-the said frame being not costly to make, of very light Weight and good appearance and possessing advantageous characteristics .asll'egards maximum light-openings combined with ability to open and close a door with its own independent sash or window pane inaanyposition.

In frames or frame units of the kind referredto, it isof. great advantage to be ablcto omit wooden pillars and rails as these add to the weight and, when they come betweenadjacent sashes or panes, reduce the light-openings and I obstruct the vision. Also. it is of great advantage to provide, in a frameof this kind, for

door-wini-l-mv or sash to be quite independent of an adjacent window sash that descends into, say, a pocket in a panel, for, in this wa tgeach of thesashes may then be adjusted. to any desired position, :as to height,. and ma y rem aini-n that :positionand not obstruct the door during the opening and closing of the latter.

According to thisinveution, a frame for a hood or head of the hind referredto, is composed enlirely'o'f light metal sectionbars and comprises, :at least, one upright channel section pillar secured 'to the body of thevehicle and extending up to the light a section metal 'cantrailor head frameythe said pillar being adapted forraifm'dingsupport on the one" side to a-sash or pane, slidable up and down in guides in a pocket space inia door. and for affording guidance on the other or chaimeLside-to aisash or 1921. Serial No. 487,477.

pane slidableup and down in guides in ;:1 pocket space in apanel, contiguous to the door, thetwosashes or panes being in close proximity to one another, owing to the slight width of the intervening channel section pillar. The channel section pillars of the frame may extend down into window pocketsin panels ofthe vehicle andgthereby provide a continuous-guide for the sashes or panes-from the pockets up to the cant rails and, in the case of folding frame memb8l'S,'tl1G pillars extending from the'top of the vehicle bodynp to the cant rail may be hingedly connected with the guide members or portions contained in the pocket spaces aforesaid. so that the said pillars may be folded down on to the body, when not required. to support the hood, or may be turned to an=erect positionto form a continuation of the sash guides in the said pockets. Channel-section bars or pillars constituting members of the frame or frame unit may be formed with flanges for making weather-proof joints with the sashes orsash guides in the closed condition of the sash. Channel pillars erected between two panel sashes may be H-section, each channel of the H providing a guide for -a-respective sash, and channel-section bars inserted as sash guides in pockets may be formed with an additional channel for theretention of lining-boards which close in the pocket spaces, inwhivh the sashes or panes are contained, when in the lowered condition. The channel guides in window pockets may also bc'formed by slottinga frame-emember and closing one side ofthe slot by means of a metal plate secured to the frame-member by sorews-orthe lil: Preferably, a complete frame-unit is constructed readyto be delivered tomotor car or body builders, so that such builders are able to mount a-folding hood or fixed head merely by fixing the lower parts-of the section metalpillars and the like in tbeproper positions on the body of the car.

And in order that the invention may be more-readily understooz'l reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurelis a side elevation if a portion of the door side of a small car-body with :1 door on one side only, the hood being shown in full lines in the raised or closed position, and the frame beingshown in chain lines in the folded down position.

elil

Figure 2 is a plan section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1 through the left or door side.

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 but taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure at is a plan section corresponding to Figure 2, but taken on the opposite side of the car. 7

Figure 5 is a plan section corresponding to Figure 3, but taken on the opposite side of the car.

Figure 6 is a section of the cant rail on the line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section of the cant rail on the line VIIVII of Figure 1.

Figure 8, is a detail plan view partly in section, to a larger scale of one of the pillars and the cant-rails connected thereto.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line IXIX of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the upper part of the car body with the hood in partly closed position.

Figure 11 is a detail view in perspective showing channel-iron guide attached to an upright member of a door or body frame member.

Figure 12 is a similar view of a modified construction of'guide.

Figures 13 to 22 are cross sections to a larger scale of various section bars used in the construction of frames and guides in accordance with these improvements.

Figures 23 and 24, are elevations of modified constructions of car bodies and hoods fitted thereto having frames and guide pillars in accordance with these improvements.

Figure 25 is a detail view of a joint seen in Figure2 l and,

Figures 26 and 27, are other constructions of car bodies fitted with hood frames constructed in accordance with these improvements.

In carrying the invention into effect, the

lower' guide pillars or channels, marked 72 and 0 Figures 1 and 2, are fixed to the car body, being secured to the panel 1) by screws g Figure 2, or the like passing through the holes in. the said channels and into the panel or other suitable part of the body. Preferably, the sides of the bod y of the vehicle, including the doors, are vertical or nearly vertical. As shown in Figures 2 and 16, these guides are of double channel section, the smaller channels 7) and 0 respectively being adapted to take the lining-boards Z but these smaller channels are not indispensable. The channels 7) and o are adapted to receive and guide a pane or sash s, Figure 2, and are conveniently lined with felt or the like to diminish vibration or rattling. At 6 and 0 Figure 1, are hinged the upper guide pillars or channels d and a, respectively. The pillar window pocket behind or in the panel 7),

while the flange 0 serves as a jamb or draught excluder for window guides hereinafter described. One end of that part of the cant rail, marked. 7, to which the hood is attached is hin ed or aivoted at (P, to one end of the pillar d and its other end is hinged or*pivoted at e see also Figure 8, to the pillar e. The other or. front portion of the cant-rail his hinged at c to the pillar e. As willbe understood from "Figures 8 and 9, the cant-rail portions '7 and is may have riveted or sweated on to them the male hinge-parts a, while the pillar e a may have secured to its upper end the female hinge-parts ;1 The frame of the front of the hood (Figure 1) and the web of the channel is are each furnished with a'hole (not shown) which holes, as usual, pass over the ends of the vertical supporting members or pillars s of the wind screen 8 The cant rail member 7a also has a flange or extension 76, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, like that marked 6 on the hinged pillar e, the flange serving as a weather strip for the sash or pane when the latter is raised to the closed position. The door at Figures 1 and 2 is provided with two lower guide pillars or double channels 9 g and h it; the channels g and h serving as guides for the door pane or sash s (Figure 2), while the smaller channels 9 it receive the lining boards Z. Figure 11 illustrates, to a larger scale, a frame member m of a door, for example, furnished with such channels 5/ g fixed to the frame member 722. by screws 9'. If desired, however, the channels 71/1112 be dispensed with. At

the top of the channel 9, Figure 1, is

hinged, at a guide i, of simple channel section, and similarly, there is a guide 7', hinged at it to the top of the channel it. These guides '5 and j in their vertical positions, are adapted to receive the pane or sash a when raised, but when the sash is lowered in. to the window pocket in the door nnthe guides are suitably folded down on to the top of the door and thus cover or enclose the sash. If desired, the guide i may he a fixture (integral with-g) and upright, as it is never in the way. whether the hood he raised or lowered. lVhen the pillar e is upright, and the guide 7' is raised to verticality, so that it rests in the angle between the web of the channel 6 and its flange e, the latter serves to exclude draught when the pane or sash s is raised. The

top of the .pane or upper rail of-thesash may restagainst the depending flange 70 of the-cant rail. 70 when the window is fullyclosed, so that the-"flange lvthen acts as a weather strip as aforesaid. In this particular construction, the vehicle body has door m on one side only, Figures at and are sect-ionson the othcrside oi the vehicle wherethereisno door. The sashes s a on thedoorless side, when in thelowered posit-ion, rest in .guides afforded by thewd-ouble channelszf u t seen in Figure 4, lining :boards Z forming ,a pocket containing these sashes beingsupported by the inner channels ofthe section bars 17 u and ii are described "with referenceto the sashes x s, the simple channels 25 Figure 5 formingupward extensions of the guide channels in I 't and the Hsection "bar a torn-ling an upwardextens-ion of the guide channels 'forithesashes s s ain the double channeltbar-u. The bars t and a, at least, arehingedly mounted like the channels (Z 6. The front and rear port-ions'of the cant nail, 'on the .Idoorless- .side, are conveniently of channel section,'iinverted, to-reeeive the sashes when raised inthesame manner as thewlength' fofscantrailin Figures .1 and 7.

In :Figure 11, a channel, guide '9 g! such as seen. in Figure .2,Qis. show-n secured by screwsgin.acut away portion of a wooden framennember .m, whereas in Figure .12, inst-cadet using light channel section metal, the woo-den frame members (such as that marked. m are slotted, at at g the slots being of suchaawidth and. depth as to ad commodate anrlwguide thesash or-window and the outer sideot' each-slot being closedby ineanso'l a metal platey inFignre 12, fixed thereto by screws or otherwise. The guides or pillars forg uiding the sashes, when raised, are hinged at the foot to the top ofitherarriage body or to the plates 9'' *or tolthe channel section irons such as 7/, c and g and t, u and t as the case may be, and the said pillarsare' hinged or connected at the top to the cantrail or longitudinal frame member of'the head. The channels ()I ])l-d tS may have pivot pins or studs or similar hing devices sweats-d, rivetedor otherwise secured to theirsides for enabling thenrto he'hingedly mounted. as aforesaid.

:Figure 101 s a view showing lI-ll8 )0Sllll'-)ll oi; the pillars (Z, f c and 2 .i3l1e trout portions it of the cant rails'and'the rear portions 'f duringthe lowering of the hood which anay he made of leather, leather cloth, canvas or other appropriate material or fabric, The hood is of the known type not connected to the cant rails bet-ween the the poi-ntss -and d fFigure 1. Atfthefront, it "is rigidly connected to the usual solid woodenfront'l When the hood. is released from" the; pillars s of" the wi nd screen and the eant rails 7: 1 are folded back on the cant 4c, but: for "lower guides the rails f, the crossbar orbridge piece 7 operated by the links 121', causes the hood to clear the back seat andthe occupants, it any, the cant rails (with the cant rails 7: there on) sink down just above the waist rail or top ofthecar body, while the pillars e and (Z -and also thosemarked u and z" are swung orerto the rear and finally come to rest in the'horizontal position, all as indicated in chain lines in Figure 1.

Figure 13, shows the simple channel-section which is of almost universal application in connection with this invention. F or example, it may be used for cant rails as shown at 7', Figures 1 and 7, for the near side of the vehicleand'wherever there is a window .not anountedin a door. It is applicableto pillars, such as (Z, Figures 1 and 52, and 1 ,25, Figure 5, where there isno door,;and to lowergnildcssuchas. Z), c, It and 9, Figure 1, for as aforesaid, it is not essential that-the lower'guides should be :t'ormei'l of double-channel section to receive a panel aswellasa window .in itslowered condition andas shown in Figures'EZ- and 1.

Figure 1-1 represents a double channel more suitableffor cantrailsthan for pillars. For instance, this section of channel bar may be-used inverted instead of; the simple channel 7' (Figures-1 .and 13) i or wherever there isnodoor beneath aicant rail. It mayalso be used instead of the double channel section marked 7) b or c c or /t ii or g inFigures 1 :and1'2. or 25 or t in Figure 7 section shown in Figure 16 is preferred.

"Figure 117 is a section suitable for use as an-vupperpillar, such as the pillar 1/. Figure 5, interposed between adjoining sashes. Figure 18 shows a section suitable :loruse in posit-ions such as that of the pillar 1/, Figure 1.

Figure 19 is a simple angle orL-section useful for cant-rails,

Figure 20 shows .a T-seetion more suit able for cant-railsthan for pillars. it is used for-example in lieu of the channel bars marked f and-7r 7c" i'irl igure 1.

Figure-21',shows a section ofa tube with a longitudinal groove or recess "and this channel section. may be used for cant rails and pillars, in. tact, wherever the section shown in Figure 13 is-employed.

Figure 522 is a section of a pillar described later on with retermice to the con struction shown in Figure '26.

The constructionshown in Figure 23 is the same as in Figure 1, the only difference be ing a 'matterot design to suita two-scater body instead of a four-seater body and that the windscreen s -is flat instead of if-shaped.

'Figures 24 and 25 show the invention applied to a limousine-landanlette, the roof over the drivers compartment and thep0rtion of 'root' over-the *door to the mai n compartment being fixed, 'while the rear hood portion folds back.

As shown in Figure 25, the cant rail 7' is not hinged to the pillar (Z but is connected thereto by two links 50 and 51 of unequal length, the link 50 being pivoted at one end to the pillar (Z while its other end engages by a stud in slot 53 in the cant rail f, the link 51 is also pivotedat one end to the pillar (Z and its other end engages by a stud in a second slot 5% in the said rail 7' and so that the cant rail may fold down parallel. to the said pillar.

Figure 26 illustrates a motor car body with two doors 20 and 21 on each side. Or there may be one door 20 on one side to gain access to the drivers seat and a door 21 on one side or on both sides-to the compartment at the rear of the drivers seat, the wind screen being, forexample, of the V type, as in Figure 1.

The cant rails are each made in several parts 22, 23 and 36, the parts 22, 23 being hinged together at 2 1, a short distance to the rear of the drivers seat. The front part of the hood 25 is adapted to be turned up aboutthe. hinge 2 1 and folded back on top of the rear portion of the hood when the latter is folded down. At the rear of the drivers seat or forming the back of the latter is a transverse partition, in the plane of the pillars 26, to divide the body into two coinpartments. This partition is preferably (but not necessarily), made hollow to receive a window or windows to entirely separate the rear compartment from the drivers compartment. The pillars 26 are hinged at 27 on each side of the body so as to be foldable, in the plane of the partition, across the rear of the drivers seat on to the partition. If there is to be a window, the pillars 26 are, conveniently, made of channel section to receive the window, housed in the partition, and with flanges 28, 28 see also Figure 22, to form a weather strip for the windows housed in the doors 20 and 21. The top of the pillar 26 is, suitably, provided with a knob or catch device for taking into a slot or hole formed in the cant rail 22 for the purpose of retaining the pillar 26 in the erect position. The door 20 to the driver's compartment is provided on one side with a- ,iixed window-guide pillar 29 and on the other side with a hinged window-guide pillar 30 but both guide-pillars 29 and 30 may be hinged if desired, as in. the case of the construction in Figure 1. The angle between the forward flange 28 and the adjacent wall of the channel pillar 26 serves to receive the hinged guide pillar 30 on the door, as in the case of the channel 6 and flange c in Figure 1. Obviously the guide pillars on the door may be hingedly mounted as described with reference to Figure 1, and the channel sections in the door and inithe panelsmay alsobe similar to those described with reference to Figure 1. Those parts of the cant rails which come overthe windows of the doors are provided with depending flanges 32 and 33, like the flange 7a, Figures 1 and 6. The second or rear door 21, may have two hinged guide pillars a5 and e50 to accommodate its windows, these pillars folding down on top of the sash in its'lowered position, or one guide pillar folding down on top of the otherp Otherwise one guide pillar may be) dispensed with, preferably the front one, the sash then fitting against the rear flange 28 of the transverse folding pillar 26.

The pillar 3d at the rear of the rear door 21 is hinged at 35 to the cant rail 36 and also at 37 to the lower fixed pillar or to the body so as to fold down to the rear. 3%, is, conveniently, provided with a' flange. d al to form an angle to receive the hinged guide 45. The cant-rail 36 is hinged at-35 at the rear of the pillar 34 and the front of this pillar 34E is hinged, at 38, to the intermediate section 23 of the cant-rail which only extends for a short distance to the front and is, as aforesaid, there hinged, at 2%, to the front portion or section 22 and, consequently, this intermediate section 23 may be folded down on to thepillar 3 1 in the lowered position, while the front section 22 is folded back on top of the intermediate section 23 as seen in dotted lines; The rear. portion 36 of the cant rail is also hingedly connected at 39 to a third pillar 40which, in turn, is hinged at 41 to a lower fixed pillar or to the body and a window pocket is made in the panel between the'pillars 34' and 40, the ararngenient of the sash being the same as described with reference to the doors. Obviously, where there is no door, the pillars may be modified accordingly, and as will be now well understood after a comparison of Figures3 and 5. The invention is applicable to the bodies of different kinds of motor cars and provides a very large and unrc stricted view through he windows. weight of such a hood or top is, relatively,

This pillar The 7 small and the hood or top has a very light 7 appearance. Naturally, if the carbocy have a fixed head instead ofa hood the pillars are fixed and rigid.

lVith slight modification, the invention is applicable to a longer car body, as shown in Figure 27, by providing a panel 42 having a. window pocket and sash between the two doors 16 and 17 and irrespective of whether the hood be folding or the head he a. fixed one or partly fixed and partly folding as in the landaulet type ofbody.

I claim V V r 1. Ina motor, vehicle and thelike, a combined sash-frame and hood support comprising light sheet-metal channel bars substantially E-shaped in cross section each forinmg two recesses'in parallel relat on in a docr of the vehicle body, a sash slidably mounted in one of the recesses of each of said bars, a cover plate mounted at each end in the other recess of each bar, light sheet metal channel bars fixed in parallel relation in the sides oi the vehicle body, light sheet-metal bars U-shaped in (TOSS section pivotally connected to the upper ends 01 the fixed bars and forming; extensions of the latter and arrangei'l to receive the sash, and light sheet-metal cant rails substantially U-shaped in cross-section pivotally connected to the free ends of the extension bars and arranged to receive the upper edge of the sash.

2. In a motor vehicle and the like, a com bined sash frame and hood support comprising light sheet metal channel bars substantially E-shaped in cross-section fixed in parallel relation on the closed side of the vehicle body, a pair of similar channel bars fixed on the door side of said body and disposed opposite to bars on the closed side, a second pair of similar bars fixed to the door of the vehicle and disposed opposite to corresponding bars on the closed side, said channel bars both on the closed and door sides forming two recesses in parallel relation, a sash slidably mounted in one of the recesses of each of said bars, a cover plate mounted at each end in the other recess of each bar, a light sheet metal bar U'shaped in cross section pivot-ally connected to the upper end of each of the E-section channel bars and forming extensions thereof to receive the sashes when raised, said extensions of the door channel bars being adapted to be folded on to the upper edge of the door when. the door sash is lowered, forward light sheet metal cant rails of substantially U-shaped cross section one on each side of the vehicle, a pivotal connection between the rear end of the door-side cant rail and the free end of the extension of the E section channel bar on the vehicle body adjacent the rear of the door opening, a pivotal connection between the rear end of the cant rail on the closed side of the vehicle iody and the free end of the extension of the E section channel bar opposite the aforesaid channel bar, rearward light sheet metal cant rails of substantially U-sha-ped cross SCtlOIIfOTI11- ing rearward extensions of said forward cant rails, pivotal connections between the forward ends of: the rear cant rails and the free ends of the extensions to which the forward cant rails are pivoted, and pivotal eonnections between the rear ends of said rear cant rails and the free ends of the extensions of the rearniost E section channel bars.

GEORGE HAROLD WFINHAM. 

